by Darrell Bain
It quickly quieted, though as Travis took back the impetus of the discussion.
“Do they fully understand what they'd be letting themselves in for?” he asked, thinking to himself of the nightmarish behavior humans were so often subject to that the ferrets would have to put up with. What they'd seen so far hadn't even scratched the surface of the possibilities. No, probabilities, he thought, like the war he was almost certain was taking place on earth while they sat. That and the even more nightmarish things deviant humans did. Rape. Child molestation. Sexual perversions such as sadism and masochism and others even worse. Killings, individual against individual, random and otherwise. Robberies, scams, political machinations. The list was endless. On the other hand, he knew this might be a chance for the human race to grow out of their proclivity for senseless violence. Not to become meek because that would take their humanity away from them, but a chance to learn how to resort to violence only when necessary and when nothing else would suffice. But who chooses? he asked himself. Are any of us that smart? And how about the ferrets? What if they meet a species worse than us, one who likes slaves or a new protein source but has no desire for coexistence? Never mind. For the present he decided it was time to put the sabotage of their ship on the table since he had also determined it would be part and parcel of the choice they had to make on whether to go or stay or try for earth.
He took a deep breath and related the findings of Effers and Terrell that their ship had been sabotaged and very likely every other COESS ship as a prelude to war, probably, or appropriating the COESS colonies certainly.
“You mean you think every single COESS colony ship is in the same fix as us?” Effers and Addie asked together, both aghast at the implications.
It looked to him as if they and the others around the table had been hit by a brick. “Yes, unless I'm very much mistaken. And I suppose if there were saboteurs who got to the COESS ships, they could very well have done the same to our military ships. I hadn't thought of that until just now. Too many other things on my mind.”
“You mean we might already have been conquered?”
“It could be even worse,” he said coldly. “It could have erupted into nuclear warfare by now. However, I don't even like to think of that. I suppose the worst case would be an earth where two of the major powers have positioned themselves to dominate and are ready to fight it out to see who's left standing. If so, you can use your imagination to think of all the possible consequences.
“Now there's one other subject. I'm going to call an election to pick a combination mayor and captain of our ship.” He made a sudden decision. “I'm going to run on a platform for that position but with the condition that if I'm elected, we accept the ferrets’ offer of an unoccupied planet within their empire. I think it would be the best solution for us both, allowing us to get used to each other gradually rather than being plunked down into their midst.”
“You wouldn't want to try for earth, despite the possibility of war?” Johannsen, the weapons officer asked.
“No. The way I see it, if I win the election, I'll be responsible for the decision and it won't be for earth. I just told you what I'll be for.”
* * * *
“And that is where we stand as of now,” Travis said to the gathered throng at the picnic the next day. He finished disclosing all the major points they had covered at the conference the evening before and where he stood and when the election would be held. “Where we go in the future or whether we go anywhere is going to be up to you to decide. I'll have handouts and computer downloads ready in a couple of days that cover every single fact and notion I and my advisers can possibly think of for you to consider. We want you to be as informed as ever an electorate in memory has been, with not a single bit of spin to be seen.”
A roar of laughter swept over the crowd while he stood at the podium near the landing field where the picnicking was going on. It gradually ebbed and was replaced by a pervasive wave of conversation akin to the mutter of thousands of drums in the distance. Words were not audible to him, only the sound but it went on and on, telling him what an impact his words had had.
And that's enough for today, he thought. God, that's enough for a thousand days when the very future of humanity might be on the table. He hadn't disclosed all his thoughts. He wanted to get to know the ferrets a bit better.
* * * *
“...want to go, damn it, no matter how long...”
“...can't trust animals to help us and I don't care...”
“...but Melanie says they can't even think of harming us! We have to...”
“...Callahan has got us this far. I say keep him and...”
“...was executive officer, so he should...”
“...say we stay here and screw the ferrets. Damn...”
“...technology out of this world. They say...”
“...back to earth, I don't care what...”
Seissina finished playing the recordings of humans talking about the forthcoming “election” to the remains of her sextant.
“To us it seems to be a very peculiar method for choosing a leader. Or is it peculiar? I suppose our way seems equally strange to them.”
She listened with some amusement to the replies.
“But they are so strident!”
“So argumentive!”
“So violently partisan!”
“Can we ever get along with the humans?”
“They actually kill each other!”
She waited patiently while they spoke as was the custom. However ... sometimes customs changed. She knew her perspective of ferret society had been unalterably changed since becoming a conduit between the humans and her people. She was with the humans most of the time now.
“Most of them appear to be willing to treat us fairly, despite the varying viewpoints,” she said.
“But look at how they treat each other!” Seemeena replied.
“We have waited too long to meet another species only to abandon them,” Seissina said more forcefully than she could ever remember. “Besides, we need the humans.”
Having put that statement out for debate, she prepared herself for a long interval of justifying it to the rest of her people.
* * * *
“You were wrong, sweetheart,” Travis chided playfully as they ate alone in the cabin one night. “I do have some opponents. In fact, there might very well be enough for a runoff.”
“Won't happen,” Sissy replied. “You'll get a big majority. Who surprised me was Melanie. I never thought she'd run, much less begin talking like she has. I thought better of her.”
“She's just scared. A whole lot of people are scared. All I can do is tell them what I think and let them make up their minds and I'll be glad when it's over with. I'd like to be finished with the big decisions and get on with whatever we decide to do.”
“Well, I think you did the right thing. If you're going to be an advocate of going with the ferrets, you can do it better from the position of a combination mayor and captain than any other way.”
“Sweetie, I had to do it that way.”
“You mean telling everyone that you intended to be the captain as well as mayor if we decide to take the ship anywhere?”
“Absolutely. Anything else would smack of political maneuvering. God knows we've seen enough of that on earth. Why bring it here with us?”
“Travis, sometimes I think you're too honest. Some of the other candidates are notably and studiously silent on the subject. Either that or oh so objective in stating that the subject of going anywhere shouldn't come up in a mayoral election.”
“They were just trying to put that off so they could gang up on me and get a second shot if they lose. Just politics and I hate it. Hey, what if I don't win? No more politics!”
“Oh, you will, sweetheart. I have no doubt at all. Even with Melanie moaning and groaning about Grindstaff supporting you and claiming the military shouldn't be allowed to state their opinions in public.”
He took a bite of freshly picked green beans before answering, savoring the taste and thinking of how much he had missed fresh food once it became available again, even if much of it was being rationed in order to let it go to seed for possible future crops somewhere else. It was too bad in a way because the crops had done amazingly well, maturing even faster than they would have under optimal conditions on any other world he knew of.
“What was proper on earth is no longer necessarily proper here. We'll still keep a military regardless of Melanie's view that it will no longer be necessary. I can already see that if we go with the ferrets the idea will come up over and over again. I want whatever constitution we decide on to have the idea of a standing military embedded in stone. Just because the ferrets are such good guys is no guarantee the next species over the hill will be. They might decide we taste good.”
“Brr. A favorite old science fiction theme.”
“I feel like we've been living in a bad science fiction novel ever since the computer tanked. You know, something else most of my opponents fail to mention is the fact that if we go to Ferretland, it's going to be a long trip. Even with the improvements they are making to the ship, they can't bring it up to the speed of theirs.”
“How long?”
“As much as a year I'm told.”
“Mmm. Lots of time for snuggling on those cold winter nights in space,” Sissy said with a smile and wink.
“I see where your mind is despite the subject. In fact you're forcing me to look the situation in the eye. Know what? I think it'd be a good idea to ask some of the ferrets to come along with us on our ship. And some of us go on theirs. Think it would work?”
“They'd probably do it if we asked, even if they didn't want to. Those people are impossibly nice, especially considering what we did to them.”
“Thank the powers for small favors.”
* * * *
“I don't understand that Melanie Mannerheim,” Maria said plaintively. “She seemed so nice before the ferrets made their offer and now she's turned into a pure fanatic. And hell, Captain Callahan won in a landslide. He's the man for the next six years or until he calls for a new election. What on earth possesses her?”
Jimmy leaned back on the couch and glanced down at his wedding ring, a twin of the one Maria was wearing. The machine shop was beginning to be called “The Jewelry Store” by some people, although in a joking manner. He didn't mind a bit since they had their rings and a marriage certificate to go with it. If it weren't for the political smears of Captain Callahan by the opposition, he would have been completely happy, lost ship or not. He wouldn't have cared where they went or even if they didn't go anywhere so long as he had Maria with him.
He looked back up to see a smile creasing her face that reminded him of a puppy watching every move of its master with adoring eyes. Not that he was her master. Heck, she could twist him into a pretzel any time she cared to but that only made him love her more.
“Are you even listening to me?”
“Absolutely. You were just remarking on how the price of tomatoes has gone up since so many of them are being tossed at the politicians. After becoming suitably overripe, of course, and speaking figuratively, of course. Just politics. Right?”
“Not even close, lover, but you get a pass this once. Have you heard the latest?”
“No. Is it some juicy gossip?” Jimmy waggled his eyebrows.
“We should be so lucky. No, I've heard Capatain Callahan and the ferrets have been having some long discussions in private.”
“I wonder what they're talking about?”
“Who cares? He's proved he has most people's backing and we're getting ready to leave soon.”
“Yeah. Wonder what kind of world we'll be living on?”
Maria snuggled close. “As you just said. Who cares?”
* * * *
“Then I can announce it tomorrow?” Travis asked Seissina as she stood by the side of a chair opposite his seat on the couch. They had been talking for two weeks in his cabin now and he had yet to see the ferret sit. Or any other. The closest he'd come was when he once saw two of them in a modified hunker.
“Whenever you wish, Travis. Our exploration ships have no set schedule. However, we would like to return to our home by a different route. It won't take much longer and it is the path we were assigned to come back by. Who knows? We may find another species of intelligent beings.” She flicked her ears and gave the little whistle he had learned was their response to humor, either their own or some one else's. He thought it was also a gauge of how unlikely she thought the prospect was.
“Fine. I think we have everything settled, then. I have been passing along most of what we've talked about to my crew and passengers.”
“As have I,” she responded almost immediately—for a ferret. The time required for her to assimilate a statement from him had grown less and less as time went on. He thought he'd noticed the same thing with others of her kind. Humans and ferrets were intermingling freely.
“Then I suppose we have only two other issues to consider. The first is a suggestion put to me by several of my crew. Is there a possibility we could exchange a few crew members? Some of my people going in your ship and yours in mine when we leave? And perhaps substituting others at each stop we decide on?”
She whistled and flicked her ears and wrinkled her nose before speaking. Humor and irony, he knew. “We had considered the same thing but were hesitant to ask.”
Travis guffawed then apologized. “Sorry. That was funny. Ironically funny. Do you know the term?”
“Yes and I thoroughly agree!”
“Great. Now one more thing and I believe we can call it a deal. I warn you, it may possibly ... offend you.”
“Better to offend than to let a thought fester, my friend Travis.”
“You should be a philosopher. All right, here goes. I've explained how ... rambunctious, cruel and violent my species can be. They can also be very kind, considerate and reasonable. Having said that, I believe you ferrets need to learn some of our suspiciousness and tendency toward violence when it's called for.”
“I ... see. And why is that?”
“Because sooner or later, you will need us if you don't. Because ... well, I believe humans and ferrets can become great friends and allies, especially since you're beginning the relationship with what I think is a ship filled with some of the best of our race, now that the worst convicts are dead. However, we have a form of fictional stories that deals with aliens who could never be friends. Who would shoot on first sight. Who believe they should be kings of the universe and will kill anything or anyone in their path to that end. I'm not saying we'll run into that kind of aliens immediately, but it is a big universe. Eventually you will. Or we will. Or our combined species will. In that case, who will defend you? Ferrets are constitutionally incapable of killing sapient beings. When we do find that horrible species, and we will someday, no doubt about it, it will take us ornery, vicious, violent humans to keep you from being exterminated. Do you see?” He leaned forward hopefully, almost willing Seissina to understand.
Seissina said nothing for a moment then she sank down in to the half hunkering position while her ears began flicking and twitching so rapidly they were almost a blur. Her nose also twitched and wrinkled as if smelling something either very good or very bad. He stared at her. Surely she can't be that offended? Can she?
The ferret gradually regained her composure.
“Are you alright?” he asked anxiously. “Did I offend you?”
“No, no, friend Travis. You did not offend me at all. You see ... our males brought the same proposal to the sextants. We had been wondering how to approach you on that very subject!”
And then Travis had nothing to say. Nothing at all until he became convulsed with laughter.
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* * *
Epilogue
“...were fired on without warning. The advanced scouting party are all dead. We've
pulled back into a perimeter but I'm not sure how long we'll be able to hold out. They just keep swarming and don't seem to care about casualties.”
“Hang on, Lieutenant. I'm sending in a heavy weapons squad and reinforcements. Ten minutes, fifteen at the most,” Grindstaff said. He pointed to Gomez, who left the room at a run. He waited until he was sure he wasn't needed right at the moment then turned to Travis and Seissina. They were all in the control room of the ferret ship.
“Seissina, did your people get anything?”
“Yes, Bill. Our contact is from a small robot, the type you suggested. It hasn't been spotted yet but the ... recordings are ... they ... they show both human and ferret captives being dismembered while ... while still living.” She ducked her head for a moment in a sign of both astonishment and grief.
“What else?” Grindstaff's voice was grim and relentless.
“The remains are being ... consumed.” Again she ducked her head and it took long minutes before she was able to speak again. “Will you be in time to save the others?”
“I don't know. We'll do our damnedest. Can your robot be rerouted to the main position?”
“It's already on the way.”
The last transmission from the small outpost came before the robot or relief party could get there. What the robot showed when it did arrive, caused the relief to turn back. There was nothing they could do.
The recordings were converted from ferret systems to those of humans but Travis ruled that for the time being only the military could view the gruesome footage.
After he held services for the thirteen dead soldiers and five ferrets, he and Seissina returned to her cabin, the one arranged for her to work with humans while they were on the ferret ship.
